Grade-A Construction

Category: Blog Posts

  • DIY: Calendar Gift Wrap

    Instead of buying new holiday paper, wrap your presents with images from your 2021 calendar. For smaller items, use the whole calendar page as gift wrap and, for larger items, start with a foundation of kraft paper, then cut out decorations (like this star motif) or scenes from your calendar, and simply glue them on. After wrapping your gifts, add pretty ribbons and cords, then elevate the look by attaching tassels or bells as toppers.

    What you’ll need: 

    • Old pages from a 2021 calendar
    • Kraft paper
    • Glue stick

    The post DIY: Calendar Gift Wrap appeared first on House & Home.

  • DIY: Painted Wooden Ornaments

    Create your own one-of-a-kind holiday ornaments by hand painting wooden ones found at craft stores.

    What you’ll need:

    • Wooden ornaments (available at craft stores)
    • Acrylic paint
    • Acrylic paint pens
    • Paintbrush

    How-to:

    1. Paint the ornaments with a base of black or white acrylic paint and hang to dry.
    2. Use acrylic paint pens to draw on patterns. Simple shapes such as lines, circles and ovals work best.
    3. Hang on your tree or from branches in a vase.

    The post DIY: Painted Wooden Ornaments appeared first on House & Home.

  • DIY: Waxed Pinecone Name Card Holders

    Set your dining table with organic name card holders with pinecones gathered on a snowy winter walk.

    What you’ll need: 

    • Dry pinecones

    • Broken candles or used  candle ends

    • Thin wire

    • Stainless steel bowl

    • Saucepan

    • String

    • Name tag

    How-to:

    1. Cut up broken candles or used candle ends and place them into a stainless steel bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.
    2. Then, while the wax melts, thread a length of thin wire around the top of a pinecone.
    3. When the wax is melted, dip the pinecone into the wax, using the wire to hold the cone, or hold it with your fingers after the wax has cooled a bit.
    4. Place on a wood board to dry.
    5. Finally, using some string, attach a name tag. Repeat for every place setting.

    The post DIY: Waxed Pinecone Name Card Holders appeared first on House & Home.

  • DIY: Pinecone Swag

    What you’ll need for the pinecone swag:

    Twine
    Scissors
    Approx. 12–14 dry pinecones

    How-to:

    Start by attaching a long piece of twine to the ends of three pinecones, varying the length of the twine.
    Do the same thing with three more pinecones and make twine lengths a bit shorter.
    Braid the six pinecones together so they nestle on top of one another.
    Then, leave a long length of braided twine for hanging.
    Finally, attach short pieces of twine to the remaining pinecones and tie them individually to the braided twine.
    Fold the braid over and attach on one end to create a loop for hanging.

    The post DIY: Pinecone Swag appeared first on House & Home.

  • DIY: Nut Garland

    What You’ll Need:

    Nuts (walnuts, almonds, chestnuts and hazelnuts)
    Dremel drill with 1⁄8″ bit • Waxed string

    How-to:

    Gather a bowl of mixed nuts with the shells on.
    Using a Dremel, drill a hole through one of each variety of nut.
    Cut the waxed string to the desired length and tie a knot at one end.
    String the nuts onto the garland, then measure their total width. This will help give you an idea of how many nuts are needed.
    Once the nuts are drilled, string them onto the garland and tie off with a knot.
    Finish the look by adding an ornament at each end.

    The post DIY: Nut Garland appeared first on House & Home.

  • DIY: Holiday Simmers

    What You’ll Need:

    3–5 dried orange slices
    2–3 dried apple slices
    Fresh cranberries
    Cinnamon sticks
    Star anise
    Rosemary
    Pine sprigs

    How-to:

    To a heat-safe bowl add dried orange and apple slices, and a handful of fresh cranberries.
    Then, add cinnamon sticks, star anise, rosemary and pine sprigs.
    Pour hot water over the fruit, herbs and spices — the aroma will be pure Christmas.

    The post DIY: Holiday Simmers appeared first on House & Home.

  • DIY: Reusable Hanukkah Crackers

    What you’ll need:

    12″ x 12″ squares of fabric
    Cardboard tubes
    Ribbon
    Treats, paper crowns, etc.
    Thin corrugated cardboard
    Utility knife
    Cutting mat
    Glue

    How-to:

    Start by wrapping a piece of fabric around a cardboard tube and tie off one end with ribbon.
    Next, fill the roll with treats, such as chocolate gelt or toys, then tie off the other end with more ribbon.
    Trace a shape like a Star of David onto a rectangular piece of cardboard. Then, using a utility knife, cut out only half of the shape and fold it open.
    Secure the sleeve around the cracker and attach with glue. Save the sleeves and fabric for future holidays.

    The post DIY: Reusable Hanukkah Crackers appeared first on House & Home.

  • DIY: Felt Napkin Holder

    What you’ll need:

    Christmas tree template (choose your favorite online!)
    Scissors
    Approx. 12″ x 12″ piece of 3 mm–thick felt
    Pencil
    Sewing needle and thread

    How-to:

    Start by downloading and printing a Christmas tree template that fills an 8 1⁄2″ x 11″ page.
    Take your piece of felt and cut off a 1⁄2″-wide band to save for the napkin ring.
    Cut out the template and place it in the middle of the felt.
    Using a pencil, trace the tree and cut it out.
    Make two 1⁄2″ vertical incisions in the middle of your tree, approximately 2 1/2–3″ apart, then thread the band through the slits.
    Add your fabric napkin to determine the width and cut to size.
    Sew the band on the back of the tree to hold it in place.

    The post DIY: Felt Napkin Holder appeared first on House & Home.

  • DIY: Treat Cones & Pinecone Swag

    What you’ll need for the treat cones:

    Two 12″ x 12″ pieces of paper such as cardstock, old calendars or wallpaper ends
    Scissors
    Glue
    Narrow double-sided tape
    Hole punch
    Ribbon
    Tassels
    Treats

    How-to:

    Cut two sheets of 12″ x 12″ paper on the diagonal and glue them together, back-to-back, to ensure both sides
    of the cone are pretty.
    Lay the paper on a table so the point of the triangle is at the top.
    Take the bottom right corner and curl it up and over until it lines up exactly with the top point of the triangle. This will indicate where to apply the double-sided tape on the “outside” of the cone.
    Apply a 4″ strip of tape and repeat the previous step, this time securing the paper to create the first half of the cone.
    Then, attach another strip of double-sided tape to the bottom part of the triangle on the “inside” of the cone, and roll
    the cone down onto the tape to complete the shape.
    Punch a hole on either side, attach a ribbon for hanging and top it off with a tassel.
    Fill with treats and hang on a door, back of
    a chair or from a peg.

    What you’ll need for the pinecone swag:

    Twine
    Scissors
    Approx. 12–14 dry pinecones

    How-to:

    Start by attaching a long piece of twine to the ends of three pinecones, varying the length of the twine.
    Do the same thing with three more pinecones and make twine lengths a bit shorter.
    Braid the six pinecones together so they nestle on top of one another.
    Then, leave a long length of braided twine for hanging.
    Finally, attach short pieces of twine to the remaining pinecones and tie them individually to the braided twine.
    Fold the braid over and attach on one end to create a loop for hanging.

    The post DIY: Treat Cones & Pinecone Swag appeared first on House & Home.

  • Which is the best caulk or sealant for caulking windows and bathrooms etc?

    Caulk, caulking, silicone, sealant – the gooey stuff in a tube used to seal windows, doors and to fill the gaps in buildings, comes in all different types – some of which usually gets on your clothes! Here we look at which caulk is best. Which is the best caulk or sealant?
    Finding the right caulking, and better still…